Urban Renewal (Urban Elite Book 1)

by Suzanne Steele

  When was the last time I did feel safe, I wonder? A pair of sultry, dark eyes comes to mind and my breathing smooths out. Why the hell am I thinking about Spider right now? If asked, I’ll deny all knowledge -- but this is one time I wouldn’t mind feeling his big, dark overprotective eyes watching over me.

  The door jerks open and an arm reaches out, grabbing me so roughly that I almost drop my notepad and pen. I step into the room and turn back to see a tall man leaning out the door, looking up and down the hall to make sure I’m alone. He turns back to me as he steps into the room. He looks me up and down, seeming to take in every detail of my appearance. It’s unnerving and I find myself wondering if I’ve done the right thing by agreeing to come in here. Knowing he’s obsessed with me from afar is one thing – seeing that obsession firsthand is another.

  “Come here,” he snarls. “Raise your arms. I need to check you for weapons.”

  I step forward and do as he says, gritting my teeth as he pats me down. I can’t resist testing the waters to see how he’ll respond. “I’m here because you wanted me here. I’m not armed. Why would I betray you like that? I’m not a fool, you know.”

  “Go,” he snaps, waving a gun in the direction of a rolling stool in the corner of the room, “sit over there.”

  I’ve got my marching orders from Agent Turner and the hostage negotiator. My first priority is to persuade this guy to clear the room for the safety of the patient and all those involved. I walk toward the stool, taking in my surroundings and making eye contact with the other people in the room. The anesthesiologist is calm but grim as he focuses on his patient, sparing me only a brief nod. The two nurses keep looking between Liam and his look-alike, as if they don’t believe the evidence of their own eyes.

  I must admit, the resemblance is uncanny. Identical twins. There are subtle differences, of course, primarily body language and their general demeanor. Same hair, similar eyes, although Dr. Chambers’ eyes are infinitely steadier, whereas his brother’s gaze seems to never stay in one place too long, And of course, there’s the black eye that makes telling them apart a no-brainer. There’s one hell of a story here, that’s for sure.

  Questions start forming in my mind and I have to keep them from tumbling out of my mouth. There will be time for an interview soon enough. But for now, first things first.

  “So, I’m Max. But you know that already…?” I say, letting the question hang there in the air and cursing myself silently for my shaky voice that’s little more than a whisper. He just smirks at my obvious discomfort.

  “Lance. My name is Lance Jenkins. Jenkins, because that’s the name they gave me when my bitch of a mother abandoned me. They probably pulled it out of a hat for all I know.”

  “Oh, okay. Lance. Well, Lance, as I understand it, the patient here is ready to be moved now. I know I’d feel a whole lot better if it was just you and me in here.”

  “I’m staying,” Liam says quietly, his eyes blazing as he glares at his brother. I wonder if his concern is for me, his brother, or both of us.

  Lance waves the gun in the nurses’ direction. “Roll that patient out of here. You can all go, but you--” he points the gun at one of the nurses, stopping her in her tracks—“We need some sandwiches, coffee, and some drinks.” The nurse’s head bobs up and down like a bobble head doll agreeing with the crazed man. I wonder if she’ll really come back. I hope so because, even though the thought of food is not appealing right now, it would lend itself to a more relaxing atmosphere for those of us who remain. And I need this guy to let his guard down.

  “Go!” he bellows, sending her scurrying to the head of the wheeled operating table. Her colleagues help her roll the patient from the room and panic rises in me as I watch them go. I hope she hurries back with that food. The last thing Liam and I need to deal with is a pissed off man with a loaded gun and an empty stomach.

  Chapter Fifty Nine

  Jack

  “What the fuck were you thinking, sending her in their alone, Jack? She’s not a trained cop, she’s a fucking blogger!”

  Spider arrived on scene a few minutes ago, and immediately tracked me down to rant about Max being sent in to talk to Liam’s look-alike. I remind myself that Spider is concerned about her; otherwise, I’d be teaching him a lesson about how I handle insubordination. In all fairness, it’s good to see him taking his responsibility of being her bodyguard seriously. But when things settle down around here, I’m going to have a long talk with him about his attitude. But in my line of work you have to understand people’s motivation and I’ve got him pegged. Spider’s protective instincts are in overdrive for a woman he’s much more intrigued with than he cares to admit – even to himself.

  “She may not be a trained cop, but she’s no damsel in distress either. That girl’s a whole lot tougher than you give her credit for, man. We’ve got a killer here who wants to tell his story and he’s convinced she’s the only one that can do it justice. Ironically, she’s safe with him because of his obsession with her. If anyone in that room is in danger, it’s Liam, not Max.”

  “I hear you, boss. Sorry. Did you say Liam is in there with her?”

  “Yes, he refused to leave.”

  “Well, fuck,” he sighs heavily. “Guess this is one time I’m glad he’s around.”

  “Yeah, I have to admit I’m glad she isn’t in there alone. I believe this guy has enough of a soft spot for her that he won’t do anything to hurt her. As long as she doesn’t say or do anything to alter his perception of her, she’s safe.”

  “What if she does?”

  “Then we go in there with guns blazing, that’s what. We’ve got a visual on the room, and audio although it comes and goes. This is a teaching hospital so there are cameras installed discreetly for student observation. Let’s just hope for the best. She’s smart and she’s been studying criminal behavior for years, it’s time for her to put it into practice. She’ll do fine.”

  Even though I’m saying everything I can to reassure him, I do have my doubts. I know how temperamental Max can be and I’m hoping she reins her temper in on this one.

  “I hope you’re right, Jack…I hope like hell you’re right.”

  Chapter Sixty

  Max

  I take a drink of the coffee the nurse brought back and then set it on the floor. I note Lance isn’t eating anything, just sitting on the edge of a folding chair as his leg nervously bounces up and down. So much nervous energy pouring out of this guy.

  His brother, Liam, is just the opposite. He’s standing confidently against the wall with the surgical mask he’d been wearing pulled down on his neck. His arms are folded over his broad chest. One leg is bent at the knee, his foot resting flat on the wall like he’s holding it up, and quite effortlessly. Words like elegant and debonair come to mind – the qualities I most enjoyed during our dinner dates. It’s easy to see that Liam is everything Lance wants to be…but isn’t. That would be enough to piss anyone off, really.

  Liam being here really helps me relax. I smile reassuringly at him and go for a little levity to break the tension. “Wow, Liam, we’ve got to stop meeting like this,” I say nervously, but he just frowns at me and gives me little more than a curt, formal nod in return. That was odd, to say the least, but then again, I don’t suppose any of us are at our best right now.

  Lance watches our exchange with great interest, his furiously tapping foot a blur against the floor. With a deep breath, I open my notebook and try to put him at ease. I need him to let his guard down.

  “So, Lance. I think it’s only fair that you be the one to tell your story. The public needs to see you portrayed in truth—your truth, and not as some monster. So please…just start at the beginning.” I look up expectantly, my pen poised above the paper as I wait to see what he’ll do next.

  He paces the floor restlessly, moving through the space where the patient had rested only moments before. “I’ve spent my whole life trying to measure up. It started as soon as I was old enough to know my
mother discarded me. She chose him over me.”

  “I can’t imagine a mother not wanting her child. I can see how upsetting that would be,” I say quietly.

  “Can you, now?” he murmurs with a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I think about that a lot myself. What do you suppose she would have done if I’d truly been an only child? It wasn’t even that she couldn’t have kept both of us. She. Just. Didn’t. Want. Me.” This last is said with a snarl, his face only inches away from his brother’s. Liam’s expression becomes flat, his bearing utterly still. The malevolence is practically vibrating in the air between these two.

  “You know,” Lance drawls as he turns away from Liam and resumes his relentless pacing, “if you ask the right person, you can find out just about anything. A Social Services employee with loose lips gave me a few hints, enough for me to know that my whore of a mother threw me away. So as soon as I was old enough to know how, I looked my dear brother up on the internet. You might say he became my new hobby. I followed him around like any good brother would. Everything he does turns to gold. It’s maddening.

  “I couldn’t have his childhood, that bitch took care of that – but I saw no reason not to have the kind of life he was obviously going to have. And I did it honestly! Fair and square.” Lance’s breathing becomes labored as his emotions spike. “The Golden Boy went to medical school, so I went to medical school. I had to scrounge for every bit of funding I could get my hands on, but foster kids can get grants and scholarships and that’s what I did.”

  “You must have worked very hard to open doors that would otherwise have been closed to you,” I said calmly.

  “I knew you would get it, Max. I could tell right away that I’d found a kindred spirit in you. All those years I walked right past him on the UL campus, ate in the same cafeteria, and bought my books in the same bookstore…and he never knew I existed. I’d change it up a little with hair color or colored contacts, but I loved keeping it real and confusing the hell out of everyone he knew. It was fun to just…be him. I’d fuck up his car and while he arranged for a tow, I’d attend his class.”

  Liam pushed away from the wall, his eyes big as saucers, his jaw clenched tight as his brother’s words registered. Lance pulled up a chair and sat down. He leaned back, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee, beaming at his brother as he reminisced, “Hell, this one time, I even tricked one of his girlfriends. What was her name, Liam? Hmm? Jamie. That’s right, yeah, Jamie.” He pauses as Liam frowns, bracing for God knows what.

  “Remember the Valentine’s Dance with Jamie, Liam? Max, listen carefully, this is such a sweet story. Liam and Jamie, they were engaged, you see.” He smirks as Liam’s face contorts with rage, fists clenched at his sides. “You were running late because, well, you just couldn’t find your car keys anywhere. I fucked her, Liam. Fucked her so good. She never knew I wasn’t the Golden Boy, just kept wondering why it was so much bigger, so much better than it had ever been before. I only wished I could have been there when you showed up and she was still in bed, right where I left her, covered in my spunk. Yeah, she never could quite explain that, could she? I mean, after all, as far as she was concerned you had just been there, so…”

  “You motherfucker!” Liam hisses, color high on his cheeks.

  “Oh, dear, did someone lose his happily ever after that night? Tsk,” Lance coos with glee.

  Liam takes a menacing step forward and I reach out and place my hand on his arm. “Hey. Liam, come on, my friend. It’s like you always say, just gotta focus on the here and now, right?”

  Liam pivots toward me and looks at me like I’m bat shit crazy. He glares down at my hand and I remove it quickly. I know when to leave well enough alone.

  Lance grins as he watches the two of us, but his face is grim as he continues, “I think the clincher was when I did all that work and didn’t get accepted for my residency because of ‘emotional issues’ from their asinine psychological testing. Just another chance to show me how I didn’t measure up. It’s like society has a hidden agenda to make certain that I fail and he succeeds. To this day, it fucking pisses me off that nobody sees that I’m just as good as he is!”

  As Lance catches his breath, I think about how to word my next question. I want to not only keep him talking, I want all of us to get out of here alive. Where did he cut up all the bodies? Maybe an abandoned house, or one of the abandoned warehouses down on the river.

  “I’ve been wondering about something, Lance, and maybe you can help me out here. So I understand you’re homeless. That must have presented you with a real dilemma. Where did you perform your, er, surgeries?”

  “Deserted house in the historical district. I found it one night when I was walking the streets freezing my ass off,” he says as he glares at Liam. Turning his attention back to me, he continues, “It was perfect, with a stone wall to keep nosy neighbors away. Hell, it even has electricity with a freezer to store things. My very own private practice, you might say. So you know about my work – but do they know? Do the cops know I trained to be a doctor?” he asks anxiously.

  “Lance, they’re very impressed with all you’ve accomplished – they’re so impressed that they would very much like to study you. Would you be willing to let them learn from you and your experiences, Lance?”

  I hear Liam blow out his breath on a harsh exhale, as if he finds the idea exasperating. And that’s all Lance needs to jump up in anger and begin waving the gun around as he bellows, “You think you’re better than me, you always have! She died because of you! Because she chose you! All of those other women died because of you. But you know what? Maybe I’ve been killing the wrong people.”

  My heart pounds in my ears as he makes a show of loading a bullet in the chamber of the gun. Before I have time to think about it, I intervene on Liam’s behalf.

  “Forget about him, Lance, he’s an egotistical bastard--”

  Lance ignores me as he keeps speaking, his gaze fixed on me as he waves his gun in Liam’s direction. “He’s as fucked up as I am, you know. Ask him about the unwilling houseguest he’s been keeping in the basement of his mansion for six months now.” He starts laughing hysterically, waving the gun around and repeating, “Ask him! Just ask him!”

  Wow, talk about shock and awe. Even though he’s obviously trying to distract me by talking nonsense about his brother, I look in Liam’s direction to try and get a read on him. He’s leaning against the wall again, but this time his eyes are closed, his lips twisted into a grimace as he slowly shakes his head, seemingly fed up with his long lost brother’s ranting and raving.

  I need to get things back on track, I can’t let Lance control the course of events here. In the voice I usually reserve for small children, I murmur, “This interview is about you, Lance. Please continue.”

  Chapter Sixty One

  Jack

  Watching the monitor is making me very antsy and even though Max is doing great at deflecting this guy’s anger, he’s scaring the shit out of me. This guy is unstable and his brother’s presence in the room isn’t helping. I want Max walking out of there alive. Even though these two didn’t grow up together, the sibling rivalry runs deep.

  I look up as Agents Turner and Murphy walk in. Turner wastes no time before getting right to the point.

  “We’re going to have to take this guy down, Jack, he’s only going to get angrier with Liam in there. I don’t want your employee getting in the crossfire. We’ve got SWAT set up in that wing of the hospital and it’s been evacuated. I think we can go in with tear gas and take him out while he’s disoriented. Things are deteriorating fast in there. We lost audio a few minutes ago but he’s clearly behaving erratically. Taking him out is a better option than leaving her in there.”

  I don’t like the idea, but there really isn’t any other way to get her out alive. I wish I had sent the kid in there armed but I’d suspected he’d frisk her when she went in and I didn’t want to take any chances. “Do what you have to, Agent.”
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  Chapter Sixty Two

  Max

  I know I’m biding my time. The feds are going to come through that door any minute. Any other hostage would be praying for deliverance, but me? I’m torn between wanting more time to get this guy’s story, and just wanting to get out alive. Society is fascinated with serial killers and I’m in the perfect position to give them some insight on one man’s journey of death and destruction. I don’t expect anyone to sympathize with him, I know I certainly don’t. I do, however, want him to come out of this alive. I want his story, but I also want him to live to pay for his crimes.

  In that moment, I set aside my professional ambitions and commit to doing whatever I have to do to get justice for the women he butchered. Fuck him. I’m done.

  “It didn’t bother me at all killing those women. What bothered me was that no one saw me, heard me, or even knew I existed. Not even you, Max. More than once I walked right past you, Max, close enough to smell your delicious scent, and you never noticed me. Even when we were face to face, you still didn’t really see me.”

  What the fuck is he talking about? The only time I’ve ever laid eyes on him before now was when I saw his face on the security tape. And here he is, looking at me like a lover betrayed. This guy’s a piece of work. My breath hitches in my throat when he reaches in his pocket and removes my mother’s pearls.

  “Remember me now, Max?” he asks slyly. What is he talking about? Little does he know that he’s unwittingly given me the diversion I’ve been hoping for. I know Agent Turner is watching and waiting for an opportunity to bring this ordeal to an end. Well, here goes nothing.

  “Oh, you brought them with you. Thank you, Lance. How very thoughtful of you.” I lift my hair off my neck and ask tentatively, “Would you please fasten them for me?” If I’ve done my job and gotten his trust, he’ll put the gun down. I hold my hair up and wait, knowing that the next few seconds will either be a disaster or save the lives of everyone in this room.